


Well-Behaved [Whumptober 2020]

by chemically_imbalanced_romance



Series: Whumptober 2020/Cult AU [18]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blackmail, Cults, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Gaslighting, Humiliation, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Manipulation, Other, Psychological Torture, Restraints, domestic and child abuse mention/implication, let me know if I missed anything please, toxic masculinity mentioned and preyed on, treating people like property, vomit-eating threat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:08:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27080107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chemically_imbalanced_romance/pseuds/chemically_imbalanced_romance
Summary: [Whumptober 2020 Day 18; Cult AU] Janus tries to be good to protect the others.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders, Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders
Series: Whumptober 2020/Cult AU [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947007
Comments: 8
Kudos: 65
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	Well-Behaved [Whumptober 2020]

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: No. 18: Panic! at the Disco [Paranoia]

_ October 17th. 7:04 pm.  _

__ The rest of the day was terrible. 

Virgil handled himself well, but Janus was a mess. If he was scared of making a mistake before, he was now petrified. It got to the point where Bates put Janus in a leash of his own so it was easier to move him when Janus froze up. 

“You’ve got to calm down,” Virgil mumbled during lunch. 

They sat side by side in the cafeteria, Bates and Styx across from them and talking over a stack of papers. Virgil and Janus’ leashes were locked around the table legs, as if they’d try to escape in the middle of the school, the cafeteria filled with cult members. 

“He’s right.” Bates looked up and smiled. “Everything is okay, love.” 

Janus nodded shakily. “Yes, sir.” 

He chuckled. “Look at me like that and I might think you don’t want to be here.”

Janus’ eyes widened, heart rate picking up. “No, sir! I do want to be here! I’m very happy to be here, I am.” 

Bates pointed a pen at Janus’ untouched plate. “Then prove it. Eat.” 

He swallowed. “My hands…”

Bates looked at Janus’ bound hands in disinterest. His eyes slipped back up to Janus’. “Yes? Is there a problem?”

He shook his head. Embarrassment crawled up his spine. He kind of wanted to die as he leaned over and lapped at the thick soup with his tongue. 

Amusement crept into their smiles. Bates hid his impressively, but Janus knew him. He was eating it up. 

Styx looked to Virgil. “And you? You haven’t eaten either, pet.” 

“One, I won’t eat like a fucking dog,” he snapped. “If we’re ‘free-roam’ now, we at least deserve that. And two, I’ve told you a million goddamn times that I’m allergic to milk. You expect me to believe this doesn’t have any? I know what food looks like when it has dairy in it, I’ve been doing this for fucking twenty years.” 

Styx leaned over and propped his chin up. He smiled. “You’ll eat how and when and  _ what _ I tell you to.” 

Virgil smiled back bitterly. “You’ll be cleaning up my vomit.” 

“You’ll eat it up,” he shot back. 

“I’ll choke on it and you can bury me,” Virgil snapped. 

“Enough!” Bates glared between the two. “Styx, if I thought a pet would turn you into a child, I wouldn’t have given you one. Virgil, this is your last chance. Janus? Come here, love.” 

Bates circled around the table to pull a hyperventilating Janus into his arms, tucking Janus’ head into his neck. Janus buried his face in Bates’ soft skin as he cried quietly, his body alive with fear. 

“It’s okay,” Bates promised, stroking down his back. “But you need to stop crying, or it won’t be. You’re making a scene.”

Janus didn’t know how to make himself stop. He held his breath and pushed the heels of his hands into his eyes. His sobs burst through and he cried harder, hiccuping and sucking in painful, dry breaths. 

“Will you get away from him?!” Virgil tugged Janus back and hugged him tightly, the best he could with his hands tied. “How is he supposed to calm down with you threatening him?!” 

Bates sighed. “So much for a nice lunch. Styx, I trust you can finish your day without me?” 

He nodded with a smirk. “I can.” 

“Take Virgil and go. I’ve had his crate moved to your room, so at the end of the day, you can go right ahead.” Bates looked between Janus and Virgil. “I think you two will learn better separated. You’ll see each other again when I see you’ve made progress.”

As hard as he tried, Janus couldn’t stop himself from hyperventilating. Bates dragged him out of the cafeteria but his eyes remained on Virgil. 

_ Will I ever see him again?  _

__ He couldn’t do this without Virgil. He wouldn’t survive. 

“Janus,” Bates warned. People stared as they walked through the halls. “You’ll be earning yourself a punishment soon.” 

“I’m sorry,” he whined, wiping his face sloppily. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, sir.” 

Bates wrapped an arm around his waist and hid a smile. “It’s okay, dear. But if you don’t stop soon, I’ll make you.” 

Bates led him into a classroom, most of the desks lining the walls but a few clustered together. Most of them were filled with cult members. They all stood as Bates entered, a few taking a knee, the rest bowing. 

He grinned. “Everyone, sit. I brought a little toy with me today, you all remember Janus. He won’t interrupt.” Bates pointed to one of the desks against the wall. “Go kneel there, Janus. Stay out of our way.” 

Janus hurried to obey. Bates locked his leash to the handle of a cabinet. Janus yelped as Bates smacked his ass. 

“Posture.” 

Janus flinched but straightened up. “I’m sorry, sir.”

“Good boy. Stay silent while I have my meeting.” He sat at the head of the desks. “Tell me what progress you’ve all made.” 

Janus shut his brain off as they talked. He tried everything he could to disassociate, and though he couldn’t manage it, he floated pretty far away. He didn’t notice his breaths speeding up as he stared out the window into the mangled woods. 

If he behaved long enough, could he somehow get a message to the others letting them know they’ve been found? Remus should be able to help with that. 

“Janus,” Bates said in frustration. 

Janus sucked in a breath.  _ How the fuck does he know- _

“Your breathing. Didn’t I say to stay silent?”

“I’m sorry, sir.” His eyes flicked over all the other members staring at him, all chuckling or grinning. His face flushed hot and he cowered in on himself. “I’m sorry, I’ll quiet down.”

Bates stood and stormed over to him. Janus flinched. “Didn’t I say not to make a scene?” He hissed. “Posture. Shut your mouth. One more slip-up and I’ll bend you over for your punishment in front of everyone here and have it recorded as a welcome home tape for the others.”

Tears welled up in Janus’ eyes and fell silently down his cheeks. He held his breath and nodded. 

Bates smacked the side of his face gently. “Good boy. We’re almost done, then we can have a break, okay?”

Bates finished his meeting, but afterwards, he called Janus forward. He pulled Janus into his lap and wrapped his arms around his waist. 

“See?” He said to the others with a grin. “He can be well-behaved.” 

“Honestly, Bates,” one of the girls said, “you’re impressive. And you have such a way with boys specifically. Got any tips for me shaping up my boyfriend?” 

“Public humiliation is a good bet for anyone,  _ especially _ cis men. It’s so easy to make them feel worthless with just a few insults. Isn’t that right, J?” 

Janus nodded slowly. Bates squeezed his waist, and he stuttered out, “Yes, sir.” 

“And leverage, of course. I have no illusions about why Janus is being so good today. Find out what matters to him, Olivia. Janus here would give his life for his friends— So he does.” 

“What about kids?” A man asked. Janus vaguely recognized him, his name started with an ‘L.’ “My daughter’s been a real bitch lately, I want to get her back in line.” 

“Well, that depends on age, but I like to think of Janus here as a son of my own.” Bates tucked Janus’ hair behind his ear. He shuddered. “Just remind her how much you love her and that you’re doing this to help her. Janus, baby, you know how important it is that you stay well-behaved, right? Can you tell me why?” 

“People like me better this way,” he mumbled. “I’ll have a better life being behaved.”

Bates kissed his cheek. “Such a good boy. Any more questions about my beautifully behaved boy?”

The cultists poked and rubbed at him, hands tugging at his clothes, rubbing through his hair, stroking the insides of his thighs and any exposed skin, running over his lips. Bates sat proudly as they praised the two, cooing over Janus’ behavior. Janus eventually had to check out again, sweating in embarrassment. 

“Unfortunately, I’m running late for the next thing on my schedule,” Bates finally said. “I’ll see all you at dinner, though. Behave yourselves.” 

Bates carried him through the day like that, poking and prodding him into small breakdowns. Janus watched his every step, every breath, tried harder to behave than he ever had, but Bates and his friends always had something to say. 

During dinner, Bates caught Janus’ stare, looking for Virgil and Styx. “They brought their meals to Styx’s room. They’ll be there for the rest of the night since Styx got his work done early. Honestly, Virgil is an incredible motivator, I’m ashamed to not have thought of this earlier.” 

Bates gave himself a longer workday than anyone else. After hours of meeting with cultists and discussing plans and progress, he locked the two of them in the abandoned principal's office with a laptop and a VPN. He stayed there until Janus’ eyelids sank and he struggled to keep posture. His knees ached and creaked from the constant pressure, sharp pains occasionally shooting up Janus’ back. 

When Bates finally ordered Janus to his feet, his back popped loud enough to fill the room. Bates laughed as he picked up his leash and led him into the halls. 

He stopped at one of the classrooms and knocked a few times. The door opened to reveal Remus with his bedhead and sleepy eyes. 

Janus’ eyes widened. 

“Did I wake you?” Bates asked as Remus stepped aside to let them in. 

The classroom was left mostly untouched aside from a few of the desks pushed together to form an alcove, filled with a dirty mattress and several thin blankets. A dirt-caked Percy Jackson book laid open. 

“No, I was waiting.” 

Bates handed over Janus’ leash and patted Remus’ cheek. “Good boy. You know the rules?” 

“Don’t let him out of my sight.” 

“Good. I’ll collect him in the morning. Until then, he’s yours.” 

Remus locked the door after Bates left. 

He stepped over and rested his hands on the back of Janus’ head, then pulled him in for a soft kiss, careful of his still-healing burns. Janus cried as he kissed Remus back, one of Remus’ hands inching forward to unclip his leash and unlock his collar. The chains clattered against the ground and the two stumbled onto the mattress. 

After ages of kissing, Remus’ fingers running over every uninjured part Janus had, they laid with their heads inches apart, Remus’ book forgotten on the stained tiles. 

“We can leave,” he whispered, barely audible at all. “Go out the window. I’ve been watching every night, I know the guards’ routes. Bates trusts me.”

It took all of Janus’ strength to shake his head. “Not without Virgil. We wouldn’t be able to sneak him from Styx, would we?”

Remus bit his lip and shook his head. “No. We’d have to leave him.”

“We’re not doing that.”

“I know.” 

Janus carefully rested his head on Remus’ shoulder and hugged him tightly. He was sick of crying, but his eyes watered anyway. “What about your plan?” 

“I’m just waiting for the right timing. Everything else is set up. You don’t need to worry, okay?”

“And you’re coming with us, right?” 

Remus hesitated. 

Janus squeezed him tight.  _ “Remus.”  _

“If I can,” he promised. “If I  _ can _ , I’ll come with you. But I’m not worried about me. Fuck, you’ve seen it, my life is fine here. It’s you two that need to get out.” Remus ran his fingers through Janus’ hair, carefully working through the knots to leave the strands smooth, albeit greasy. “And you need to get some sleep.”

“I don’t know if I can.” 

“Try?” 

Janus’ eyes fluttered shut. “I’ll try.” 

“I love you, Janus.”

“I love you, too.”


End file.
